BANGALORE: HP Anytime, a 24x7 Interactive voice response (IVRS) based refill booking system, launched by HPCL in the interest of all HP gasconsumers on March 30 is causing problems as it is not working effectively. Instead of helping the consumer it is adding to their woes. The call rate and waiting period is very long.
Whenever the consumer calls the gas agencies they direct them to another number.
Instead of helping the customer, the agency people rudely hang up on them. The number given by the agency is 9964023456.
The consumers began facing the problem after HP launched the automated booking by using above number, the gas agencies are also not bothered to hear the consumer out. Shiva Kumar, a consumer of the HP Gas said, “I called the number to book my gas cylinder, it’s an automated response. It first asked for the landline number. I gave it without adding the city code. The recoding then claimed that the number was invalid. I was shocked when I heard this. I used this very number to book my cylinders.” He further added that when he later called the agency on the same number, it was working. However, soon after that the agency staff members disconnected the call. “It has been 15 days since. I am clueless as to what to do,” he complained.
Meanwhile, the cost of booking a cylinder has also increased. To add to it the call rates of the IVRS number is `3 per minute. Due to the inefficiency on the part of the dealers and agency staff, the consumer ends up spending at least of `40 per call.
Addressing the issue, Chandra Mohan, the executive operating manager for HP gas said, “We have looked into the matter. This number (9964023456) is the only number that is causing problems. We will rectify it.”